DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE UP TO ON THE INTERNET?

SpyFamily stands out in a crowded market of parental control apps for its price, ease of use, and comprehensive capabilities, which include content banning, screen time management, and location monitoring.

Learn more about how we independently research, test, review, and suggest the best products. We may receive a commission if you purchase something via our links.

According to studies, 75 percent of children under the age of eight use mobile devices, and the number is growing.

1 The majority of the time, adults do not watch what their children do online.

In fact, most parents want their children to be able to use digital gadgets independently. Apps can be informative as well as entertaining (for example, keeping their children occupied while waiting at the doctor's office).

However, it's no secret that the internet may expose children to a wide range of improper material. Almost 80% of parents are worried about the amount of violence and sexual content in the media. 2

This is why parental control apps are essential. They can keep an eye on, limit, and supervise what their children do on their digital devices. While apps aren't always failsafe, they are a vital tool for parents to learn more about their children's internet activities. Finding the finest parental control software, on the other hand, might be difficult due to a large number of options available, each of which offers something slightly different.

Fortunately, we've done some of the legwork for you and compiled a list of the top five parental control apps for 2022 below.

2022's 7 Best Parental Control Apps

Overall winner: SpyFamily

SPY24 is best for older children; T-SPY is best for younger children.

The bark is the best for overall monitoring.

Family is the best for location tracking.

Time

Best for Screen Time Management: OurPact Best on a Budget: Norton Family

OVERALL BEST SpyFamily

Specifications

Pricing: Annual subscriptions start at $19.99 and go up to $79.99.

iOS/Android: Depending on your plan, you can have 1, 5, or 20 devices.

Why Did We Pick It? SpyFamily gives parents the option of allowing, blocking, or receiving notifications when their children visit websites with potentially unsuitable or dangerous content, such as porn and cigarettes.

PROS Outstanding web screening and analysis system

Children's gadget use can be restricted at certain times.

Content is blocked across web URLs and apps.

It keeps track of their real and virtual location.

CONS Only a yearly subscription is available.

Calls and texts are not monitored.

SpyFamily is one of the most reliable and complete programs available. SpyFamily lets you keep track of your family's online activities while simultaneously protecting them from hazardous content. You may set screen time limits and protect your children from viewing inappropriate material.

You'll get thorough reports on the searches your children conduct. You'll also receive real-time notifications if any pornographic, suicide, weapons, or drug-related content is found. Then you may ban websites and apps that you don't want your child to use, as well as set limits on how much time they can spend online.

Be careful that some users complained that the software didn't block enough stuff. Others complained that it blocked far too many websites, including those they tried to add to their safe list. While no app is flawless, you should keep an eye on how this one works before thinking your children will be safe after it's installed.

SPY24 IS BEST FOR OLDER KIDS.

Specifications

Monthly fees range from $8 to $16.

iOS/Android: Both

Up to ten devices are allowed.

Why Did We Pick It? SPY24 protects young adults from pornography and harmful messages on the internet, making it a safer place for them. It also allows parents to restrict access to certain apps and games.

PROS Concentrates on removing nudity and pornography.

Sexting is detected and prevented by analyzing photographs.

You may decide which apps are authorized on which devices.

Location tracking in real-time

Don't sell your information

CONS

No screen time restrictions

Content within apps cannot be filtered or blocked.

Parenting teenagers and young adults may be difficult, particularly when it comes to social media and the internet. On the one hand, you want to provide children independence while still protecting them from unsuitable content.

As a result, we recommend SPY24 to parents of teenagers. It isn't unduly restricted or intrusive of their privacy—you can't see the content of their texts, for example—but it does keep an eye on them during virtual encounters. Problematic content, such as "sexted" images, pornography, and other sorts of graphic information, is flagged to your device if necessary. It blocks the majority of prohibited content in real-time rather than in batches, and you, as the parent, can decide whether or not your child has access to the images or videos.

SPY24, which costs $8 a month, lets you restrict as much or as little content from your child's device while also tracking their location. The parental control app also has a removal prevention feature, so your teen can't erase it on their own.

T-SPY IS BEST FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.

Specifications

Annual fees range from $55 to $138.

iOS/Android: Depending on your package, you can have 5, 10, or 15 devices.

Why Did We Pick It? T-SPY assists parents in prioritizing their children's health and safety by limiting screen time and avoiding improper content exposure. The app's functions can help you sleep better and feel better in general.

PROS User-friendly dashboard

Setting screen time limits, blocking content, and reviewing calls/texts are all options.

Current and past places are accessible.

Three options are offered.

Trial period

CONS

Some functions are exclusive to Android users.

Parents have no access to in-app conversations (think Snapchat)

T-SPY lets you monitor your child's social media accounts, read their messages, and track their location. It's also a complete program that lets you block out websites with potentially offensive content. You can restrict access to games and apps that you don't want your child to use, as well as set time limits on each device.

You can also track the devices your child is using at any moment. Your child will also have access to a panic button that will alert you to his or her whereabouts immediately.

Just keep in mind that T-surveillance SPY and access to some social networking sites are restricted. Parents, for example, can see when and how long their child used Snapchat, but not their interactions with other users. So, before you install the program, make sure you're aware of its limits.

BEST FOR OVERALL BARK MONITORING

Specifications

Price range: $49 to $99 per year, or $5 to $14 each month

Both iOS and Android devices are supported.

Why Did We Pick It? Bark's premium plan includes an alarm system that goes above and beyond, providing parents warnings the second the app detects potentially harmful content or behavior across nearly 20 themes.

PROS: It keeps track of in-app chats and communications.

Sends out alerts when there's something wrong with something.

Allows you to manage your screen time.

Any number of devices are covered by a single plan.

7-day free trial

CONS iOS users have limited monitoring options.

You can only monitor texts and applications on premium plans.

Bark scans text messages, emails, and over 30 different social media sites for potential threats. It searches for internet predators, adult content, sexual content, drug use, cyberbullying, and suicide ideation, among other things. Bark's location-sharing feature sends you notifications when your child enters or exits a designated location.

Bark combs through texts, images, and videos for any potentially dangerous exchanges and informs parents. When there are possible concerns, you will receive automatic alerts via email and text messages.

One of the best aspects of Bark is that you'll get advice from child psychologists on how to handle problems as they emerge.

You'll also have access to a dashboard that shows you how your youngster is using the internet. You'll find out how much time they spend online, which websites they visit, and how many possible dangers were discovered.

Bark offers a seven-day free trial to determine if you enjoy it before purchasing.

BEST FOR FAMILIES TRACKING LOCATION

Specifications

Annual fees range from $27 to $69

iOS/Android: No limit on the number of devices.

Why Did We Pick It?

PROS Real-time location tracking for your children

Emergency and non-emergency notification systems

Notifications of the children's departure or arrival at specific locations

Teenage speed limit monitoring

The number of gadgets is limitless.

Trial period

CONS

Some features are brand new or in development.

The app can be simply removed by children.

Windows is not supported.

You may construct a geo-fence with FamilyTime and receive instant notifications when your children enter or exit geo-fenced areas.

FamilyTime has all of the fundamental features you'd expect from a solid parental control app: it filters out inappropriate content, prevents pornography, and allows kids to conduct safe searches alone. It also allows you to set time limits on devices and lock screens at specific times, such as before bed or during schoolwork.

One of the most useful functions is the locator. It gives you a full location history of all the places your children have visited over a certain period of time. You may also track your children in real-time using a map with detailed location information.

You can also utilize their smart geo-fencing technology to set up boundaries for your children. You'll be notified in real-time if they step outside the boundary lines. This function keeps you updated 24 hours a day, whether you use it to get a message when they get home from school or to prevent them from walking into a dangerous area of town.

Many reviews praised the app's conversation functionality. However, many other reviewers reported that certain functions were not working properly.

BEST FOR SCREEN TIME MANAGEMENT OurPact

Specifications

Pricing: Free or premium for $7 to $10 a month iOS/Android: Both

Up to 20 devices are possible.

Why Did We Pick It? Schedule and Allowance are two different time management options available in OurPact. Schedule lets you specify times when you don't want your child to use their phone at all (for example, during school), whereas Allowance lets them determine (with your consent) how much time they can spend on their phone each day.

PROS Can differentiate between educational and recreational apps.

Texting can be turned off at particular periods.

Up to 20 devices can be monitored.

Provides a free trial.

CONS The free version has limited functionality.

Calls and texts are not being monitored.

It's easy to slip into the trap of spending hours on your gadget, no matter how old you are. An OurPact app is an excellent tool for assisting parents in establishing healthy internet activity restrictions for their children. You can set limits on when and how long they can use their phone, and you can teach them how to manage their online time on their own.

In addition to the essentials, such as app blocking, filtering out inappropriate web content, and tracking your child's location, OurPact offers some unique parental control modifications. To restrict distractions, you can completely block an app or just enable it on a schedule (for example, if you only want your child to use Instagram on weekends). You can also do the same with calls and messages. You can also give your child a screen time allowance, which allows them to decide how they want to use their online time within a set time frame.

There are four different plans to choose from OurPact Plus, OurPact Premium, and OurPact Premium+. The free plan allows you to monitor only one device and has limited blocking capabilities. OurPact Plus costs $2 per month and allows you to manage up to 10 devices, disable apps, and set screen time limits. For $7 a month, OurPact Premium lets you manage up to 20 devices and includes all of the location, screen time, and blocking functions. The premium+ plan, which costs $10 per month and provides the same benefits as the premium plan but also allows you to collect screenshots of your child's smartphone, is the greatest value.

Norton Family's BEST BUDGET

Specifications

The cost is $50 each year.

iOS and Android

Unlimited number of devices

Why Did We Pick It? The Norton Family parental control program, which costs roughly $4 per month, gives you all the features you need to monitor your child's devices without breaking the bank. Note that it is incompatible with Mac computers.

PROS Reasonably priced annual subscription

You can manage as many devices as you want.

Has a well-designed dashboard

As needed, monitor activities and restrict material.

Filters websites to prevent inappropriate content from being displayed.

Geofencing tools are included.

30-day free trial

CONS

It is not compatible with Mac machines.

There is no monthly or annual subscription.

Apps can't be blocked on PCs

Social media sites are not tracked.

Norton Family is an excellent alternative for a low-cost parental control app, costing only $50 per year. It's a full-service alternative that gives parents visibility and control over their children's internet activities. Although Norton Family doesn't require a Windows PC (apps are available for iOS and Android), it does let you keep track of your children. You can monitor and track your child's internet usage and online activities across various devices, including their desktop, laptop, phone, and tablet, if you use Windows.

Norton Family, like other good parental control products, allows you to establish screen time limits, track your child's location, block problematic apps and websites, and monitor their online behavior. The program also provides notifications when your child tries to access prohibited websites, gives you access to YouTube videos your child has seen, and has a centralized parent portal where you can control all of your devices.

What's the best part? For 30 days, you can try the app for free.

The Final Word

What SpyFamily has to offer is unbeatable: It's a full-featured parental control tool that checks all the boxes parents care about for a low annual fee. SpyFamily keeps you informed about what your family is up to online via notifications, a parent dashboard, and a family feed while monitoring app usage, limiting screen time, and blocking problematic information across the internet.

If you're more interested in keeping track of your children's whereabouts, FamilyTime is a cost-effective option that also includes certain screen time limitations and app-banning features. If you have a Windows-based family, Norton Family lets you monitor iOS and Android devices as well as a Windows desktop PC.

Compare Apps

Questions Frequently Asked

Parental Control Apps: What Are They?

Parental control apps are used to monitor children both online and offline, and they can help you figure out what they're up to on their smartphones and tablets. The apps can track your children's whereabouts, set screen time limits, monitor phone, and app usage, prevent them from accessing and using particular websites and apps, and show you who they're speaking with online.

What Are the Functions of Parental Control Apps?

Depending on the type of app, parental control applications work in a variety of ways. Some apps act as content filters, limiting access to certain websites and apps that are considered undesirable. Others limit your child's phone or tablet usage by imposing time limits or prohibiting phone use after a particular period of time.

Some apps track your children's whereabouts, text messages, social media posts, emails, and other activities. You'll need your kids' account names and passwords for social media monitoring tools. Monitoring software may comb through texts, social media posts, images, and videos to alert parents to any potential threats.

What Are the Prices of Parental Control Apps?

Although some parental control applications offer a free version, most of them demand a monthly or annual membership to gain access to the most useful features. Depending on the sort of services and the number of devices you wish to monitor, prices might range from $5 to $10 each month.

Methodology

When we were looking for parental control applications, our main worry was finding ones that kept kids safe without being overly intrusive. We considered how easy it would be for parents to achieve whatever goals they had in mind—whether it was location tracking, screen time limits, content blocking, or a combination of all three—and made sure that changing, updating, increasing, or decreasing your child's access would be a simple process.

We looked for apps that will help youngsters create a healthy balance of screen time and off-screen time by blocking harmful or graphic content. Finally, we looked at customization possibilities, focusing on apps that offered numerous plans for various numbers of devices at different price points.